{"id":1551,"date":"2016-07-05T10:14:12","date_gmt":"2016-07-05T10:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blossominggifts.com\/blog\/?p=1551"},"modified":"2025-10-15T11:49:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T11:49:34","slug":"surprising-facts-lilies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blossominggifts.com\/blog\/surprising-facts-lilies\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Surprising Facts About Lilies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lilies are one of the most popular flowers for bouquets, bringing natural elegance and gorgeous fragrance to any arrangement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

If you love lilies as much as we do, keep reading for some of our favourite facts about these gorgeous blooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop Lilies<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lilies have been used in perfumes since ancient times<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Everyone knows lilies are amazingly fragrant – and they’ve been loved for this for thousands of years! The Ancient Egyptians used lilies mixed with myrrh and cinnamon to create perfumes that were famous across the ancient world. The perfumes were prepared in temples, and the process has even been found depicted in tomb carvings from 400BC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all lilies are equal in terms of scent. Oriental lilies in particular are renowned for their sweet, strong fragrance, making them a staple in flower bouquets. Whilst many people love the smell of lilies, some can find it a bit overpowering. Asiatic lilies are a great alternative if you’re sensitive to strong fragrances, as they’re usually unscented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What do lilies represent? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lilies have a long history and over time they’ve gained plenty of different meanings. They grow in pretty much any colour you could want, and each shade has its own unique symbolism. Keep reading to craft the perfect message with your lily bouquet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White Lilies Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

White lilies are arguably the most recognisable and popular lilies. There are many types of white lily, but oriental lilies in particular are loved for their heady fragrance, and are one of the most widely used flowers for bouquets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many white flowers<\/a>, white lilies represent purity, rebirth, and innocence. In Christian art, the white lily is often used to symbolise the Virgin Mary. Another white lily meaning is majesty, due to the Roman myth<\/a> that white lilies originated from the queen of the gods, Hera. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Red Lilies Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If love is in the air, red<\/a> lilies are the way to go. They symbolise love<\/a>, romance, and passion, making them an ideal gift for anniversaries<\/a>, Valentine’s Day, and other romantic occasions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pink Lilies Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pink<\/a> lilies typically symbolise femininity, love, and admiration, making them an extremely popular choice for Mother’s Day bouquets<\/a>. If you’re looking for pink lilies, stargazer lilies are one of the very best varieties, combining eye-catching hot pink blooms with irresistible fragrance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yellow Lilies Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you need to say thank you, yellow lilies will do the trick as they symbolise gratitude. Like other yellow flowers<\/a>, they also represent friendship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orange Lilies Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The orange<\/a> lily’s meaning reflects its fiery colour; it symbolises energy, confidence, and enthusiasm. Send orange lilies to say congratulations<\/a>, or happy birthday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How many types of lilies are there?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Altogether, there are 90 recognised species of lily in the Lilium <\/em>genus – but this doesn’t include the many hybrids and varieties! There are over 2000 of these and they are divided into nine groups. Some of the most well known include oriental lilies (a group which includes the popular stargazer lily), Asiatic lilies, and trumpet lilies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some other flowers and plants are called lilies, but aren’t considered true lilies. This group includes calla lilies, peace lilies, and daylilies. Similarly, although alstroemeria<\/a> resemble miniature lilies (and are even referred to as Peruvian lilies), they’re not actually related to lilies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lilies have a long vase life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lilies are one of the most popular cut flowers for bouquets, and they last a long time<\/a> as well – between 7 and 14 days. We send ours in bud, which means you get to enjoy their gorgeous blooms for even longer when they open. Make sure you change the water and retrim the stems regularly to help your lilies last longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lilies are not safe for cats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Make sure to keep lilies away from cats. Lilies are highly toxic to them, and eating a tiny amount of the pollen or plant can cause kidney failure (even if they just groom the pollen from their fur). Speak to your vet immediately if you think your cat has come into contact with a lily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lilies aren’t as dangerous for dogs, but you should still keep them out of their reach as they can cause an upset tummy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t worry if you love flowers and have a cat – there are plenty of pet friendly bouquets<\/a> available at Blossoming Gifts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop Pet Friendly Flowers<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Take a look our beautiful range of lilies<\/a> and order lilies online today for any occasion. Combine your lily bouquet with our add on gifts<\/a>, including chocolates, wine, vases and cute teddy bears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n